Part of the group in front of Art Southampton (all photographs by Michael Groth for Hyperallergic unless otherwise noted)

Last Saturday, a diverse group of art enthusiasts, collectors, gallerists, art advisors, museum professionals, and artists joined Hyperallergic for a day trip to the Hamptons. The sojourn followed a successful trip also timed to coincide with the fair last year, this time with the added benefit of a private tour of the Parrish Art Museum and its remarkable Herzog & de Meuron structure, completed in late 2012.

Deputy Director Scott Howe discusses aspects of architects Herzog & de Meuron’s design for the Parrish Museum
After leaving from Union Square on a private bus in the morning, the group began the day at the Parrish, where they were received by deputy director Scott Howe.

Howe led the group to the office area of the museum, explaining the many nuances of the Herzog & de Meuron design — most notably how it takes advantage of the area’s strong natural light. Another theme that surfaced in Howe’s talk was the inclusion of local materials and sustainable techniques in the building’s construction, with much of the cabinetry locally-sourced and a geothermal system halving the typical energy costs for a building of its size.

At the Parrish Museum, clockwise, from left: Dennis Oppenheim, ‘Splash Building’ (2009), Maya Lin, “Arctic Circle,” “Latitude New York City,” and “Equator” (2014), and the group in front of Maya Lin’s “Pin River” (2014)

A tour of the museum’s exhibitions followed. A highlight was Platform: Maya Lin, the museum’s installation of the artist’s environmentally-conscious work, as well as an installation of Dennis Oppenheim’s Splash Buildings (2009), and a comprehensive presentation of the American realist painter and illustrator William Glackens.

Scenes from Art Southampton, clockwise from top left: sculpture by Robert Morris, a view of the fair, a trip-goer shows off a fair acquisition, and the group relaxes in the VIP lounge

After refreshments at the museum, the group headed to the Art Southampton fair, which in its third year featured 75 international art galleries. From an outdoor sculptural installation by minimal and conceptual artist Robert Morris to an intriguing talk about the unprecedented financialization of the art market by Deloitte specialist Evan Beard, the fair’s programming rounded out the diverse offerings in its stalls.

In the Art Southampton VIP lounge (photo by Veken Gueyikian/Hyperallergic)A toast at the Southampton Social Club

The day wound down with cocktails in the VIP lounge at Art Southampton, followed by dinner at the Southampton Social Club, where a convivial atmosphere reigned and conversation flowed freely over steak and Mahi-Mahi.

We would like to thank all of those who attended for your excellent company, the Parrish Art Museum for its hospitality, and Art Southampton for helping to make this event possible.